Blau - nothing broken
by GarGoyl
Summary: REWRITTEN! And hopefully improved... A dark intrigue and a 'blasphemous' slash... Multichapter!
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

A/N (and I promise this will be the only one I'll bore you with ;))

Hey there everyone! Okay so, first of all I have to say this story isn't new. I had published this story some three years ago and in various versions – initially there was only one chapter story, then I made a sequel and then another, then I deleted them and posted a new story with three chapters. But that's hardly the point – I recently re-read it, in light on my (much added since then) experience and man it was bad! Something had thus to be done about it and so I have somewhat rewritten and polished it to make it more 'possible' if you will. There it is!

* * *

The first – and very probably the last - thing that had come to Lt. Blau's mind when he'd found himself and his platoon surrounded by the group of Basterds was death. A quick death. And when the baseball bat had hit him in the back of his head, instantly rendering him unconscious, he'd probably thought everything was over. Except… nothing is ever that simple.

Donny stood next to Blau's fallen body, bat in hand, ready to apply the blow that would add yet another dead Nazi to his already high score. But just as he was preparing to do so, an unexpected thought struck him all the sudden and gave way to some strange pondering - he'd not been with a woman in quite a while. Such an idea popping up in a moment like this, it must have had something to do with the powerful adrenaline rush, he decided as he pushed the Kraut with his boot, rolling him face up. But it was still weird, and it made him almost involuntarily kneel and let his rough fingers wander along Blau's jaw line and then down to his neck, under the rough uniform collar. The skin was soft, delicate and warm. Oh, well, maybe this idea was not so bad after all, Donny concluded and, with a grin, he picked up the German's body and slung it carelessly over his massive shoulders.

Some hours later, after the nightfall, Lt. Franz Blau had the extremely unpleasant surprise to wake up in some dark, unfamiliar and ominous looking room and realize that he was not dead. At least not yet, anyway. His head absolutely throbbed and his back hurt too. Being more that knowledgeable of the stories of grotesquely scalped bodies the Basterds usually left behind in their wake, he automatically tried to touch his forehead. Except his hand was currently restrained and he'd been pinned face down onto a bed, with tight ropes securing both his wrists and ankles. A rough blanket covered him up to his waist, but otherwise he was naked. The well known sensation of fear, no, terror, started in his stomach and then spread in his entire body, covering his brow in a cold sweat. Right then, the door opened and he buried his face deep into the pillows, pretending to be still unconscious.

Taking his time, Donny examined his prey with interest. At this point he was still unsure of his plan, but still relieved that none of his comrades had asked any questions. Puffing his cigar, he propped the baseball bat down to the wall near the bed and pulled off his dirty shirt. Soon he crept in bed next to his victim, knowing that the Kraut was no longer out cold - but that was not important for now. He had all the time in the world to interrogate him, if he wanted. He brought his nose close to Blau's neck as his palm explored his shoulders and down on his back. "This is good stuff…" he muttered to himself, hardly fazed by his own appreciations, as he inhaled the vague scent of cologne. The French women he'd tried, most of them from the country side, sure as hell did not smell that good, nor felt that soft to the touch. And if he'd let his instincts run wild with the enemy before – although in completely different ways, it should be mentioned - why the hell shouldn't he do it now?

He got on top of his precious prey and violently grabbed his hips, as he hastily unleashed all the long contained demons of his carnal desires. When he was finally done, the Bear Jew collapsed on the German's body, nearly crushing him under his weight. He noticed that Blau had stuffed his fist into his mouth to prevent himself from screaming and he pushed it away.

"Did you enjoy it?" he whispered maliciously into the young man's ear, while still panting heavily. As no reply came, he maneuvered the already painfully tight ropes and rolled him on his back. "Open your eyes and look at me," he demanded. "Now tell me your name"

"B-Blau… Franz Blau," the German whispered, fighting back his tears of pain with difficulty.

_Blau (blue)…rather fitting_, Donny thought at the sight of the light blue eyes of his prisoner. "Are you a party member, Franz?" the Basterd asked, moving his fingers to the young man's neck, and then up to his cheek. Stupid question, really, what did it matter? He was wearing the uniform, and that was enough.

"N-not really… not…anymore"

"How so?" Did the Kraut really think such an answer would help? Well it didn't.

"It's complicated…."

"Not that it really matters, but please, do tell me," Donny said teasingly, rather enjoying this 'cat playing with its food' thing. The moments when he wasn't bored were rare, and he would thoroughly exploit any opportunity that was given to him. It wasn't that he didn't like his job, just…it had gotten somewhat tedious after a while.

"I … um… got myself into some trouble… and they sent me here from Berlin, as a sort of punishment," Blau explained, perking the other's curiosity. Well, that hadn't looked like a disciplinary battalion, so whatever this kid had done must have been at a higher level – that and he was a lieutenant. _Heh, fucking got myself an officer, now that's something to consider…_. The man was quite young for his rank, was he rich? Did he have a title_? Nah, all the fuckers with titles shove them in your face first thing, as if that made them invulnerable or something_. Or maybe he had fucked his way up the ranks? Sure as hell he had what it took for that… For some obscure reason the Bear Jew found himself extremely turned on by the thought of Franz Blau ill-getting his rank one way or the other. Now he was more and more tempted to try the ultimate forbidden pleasure. And he gave in to the temptation.

He lowered his head and pressed his lips onto Blau's mouth. As he met no resistance, he deepened the kiss, the result of it exceeding his expectations. No doubt, the Kraut was better than any woman. But the young man still trembled, feeling obviously awkward at the closeness of their naked bodies. Donny suddenly decided that he wished him to relax, so he did his best while at it, for once sure that he must have been doing the right thing since it was a man that he was doing it to, as he continued to kiss him. A grin spread onto his rough features when he heard his prisoner moan through the kiss.

"Now if you behave, Franz, and don't go trying anything funny…. Who knows? I might eventually let you go. But at any rate, not now…."

_**To be continued**_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

The Bear Jew blinked in the semi-obscurity of the cell as he began to regain consciousness. Harder than adapting his eye-sight, was to wrap his mind around the idea that he'd been captured. How long had he been lying there? Were the Basterds coming for him or they didn't even know where he was? The damned Krauts had probably kept him alive so they would make an example out of him, he pondered. He stood up and started pacing back and forth in the small room, like a caged lion. He felt no fear, just anger, and a ravishing desire to tear someone to pieces. When he finally managed to cool down, he sat on the edge of the improvised bed. There he remained motionless for quite a while, brooding over his misfortune.

* * *

At nightfall a guard approached cautiously and slipped a bowl of God-knows-what between the bars, onto the bare floor. Donny did not heed it at first, but as hunger began to kick in, he eventually reconsidered. He stood up slowly and stepped towards it, then carefully lifted it and smelled the soup wanna-be it contained.

"I really wouldn't recommend that," he heard a husky voice with a strong German accent and was suddenly aware of a slender figure propped against the iron bars. His breath caught in his throat as he recognized the man. Franz Blau.

"Well, well… " the Bear Jew drawled, but his voice was slightly shaky. He approached the bars and took a closer look. Blau wore a simple, _feldgrau_ uniform with leather boots and no cap. He kept his hands casually stuffed in his pockets. And he smelled just as good as… Donny kicked himself inwardly. Had he fallen that low as to be affected by this sick…. chemistry? No fucking way! "You're standing a bit too close, Herr Leutnant" he continued in the same tone. "I could grab you and break your delicate little neck in an instant…"

"Then grab me. Do it now," Blau replied, not moving. Donny stared right into his deep blue gaze, but his arm did not rise to grab him.

"So… I suppose this is what I get for being stupid enough to let you go: the honor of being executed by you personally," he hissed, stepping away.

"_Scheisse_, I knew you were going to throw a fit," Franz replied, shaking his head. "But no, I did not come to kill you. Unlike _others_, I personally do not have such hobbies"

"Oooooh…"

"So maybe I will let you go too"

Donny burst into a mad laughter. "Yeah sure! And maybe you are also willing to face the firing squad for saving my big Jewish ass!"

Blau watched him slightly amused, before he slipped through the iron bars with feline grace and stopped right under Donny's nose. "You let me go… but not right away". Blau's gaze narrowed for a few moments. "So I'm not saying it will be entirely painless"

Donny took a step back, puzzled. The Kraut sure had a lot of guts to come that close. "So you will torture me first?"

"Did you hope I was going to do something else?" Blau whispered teasingly, his lips brushing against Donny's ear. Damn him, he was so close. His scent, combined with the warmth of his skin, was beyond thrilling. He ached to touch him. "This is sick!" he hissed, resisting the urge.

"I totally agree. But you started it," came the sharp reply and the German pulled away. "Don't worry, I have nothing _physical_ in mind," he added. "I want to ask you two things"

"Well?" Donny grinned, relieved that the danger had passed.

"The first you'll find very simple and enjoyable: I want you to kill my new boss, General von Meister. You know, make mash potatoes out of him" Blau illustrated his wish with an explicit gesture.

Donny nodded. "And the second?"

"The second you'll find a bit more difficult…" Blau propped against the bars and again stuffed his hands in his pockets and chewed on his lip. "I want you to tell me everything"

"Aha! I knew it!" Donny burst out. "You think I'll tell you everything about the Basterds! Ha! Ha!"

"Mmmno… not about the Basterds… about you. And about the sick thing"

Donny stared at him dumbstruck. "What?"

"You can begin by explaining why you didn't finish me off right there, in the woods"

Donny took his time before he came up with an answer he thought fitting. "Oh you want to know? Fine! Fancy that, I hadn't been with a woman in quite a while and when I saw you laying there, knocked out, it occurred to me that your ass was worth the… work!" he spat maliciously.

Blau remained impassible. "And have you done this before? I mean, with other Germans?"

"Fuck no! I ain't no Kraut fucker!" Now Donny's tone had become menacing and he was towering over him.

An almost imperceptible smile curved the corners of the young man's mouth. "I see… Please, go on"

"Well that was the drive… you've seen the rest," the Bear Jew grinned again, hoping to be intimidating.

There were a few moments of awkward silence.

"Why did you kiss me?" Franz asked suddenly, with a preoccupied air. He didn't really care, did he?

"Ooooh, you didn't like that either?" Donny asked in a mocking tone.

Blau remained silent, rubbing his thumb over his lower lip thoughtfully. Donny's gaze moved from his eyes to his lips and felt he wanted to kiss him again, right then and there. Fighting back the idea, he fired another question. "And why didn't you even try to escape during the night?"

Blau's fingers patted his cheek gently. "I ask the questions now," he whispered. "I wanted to see if you are brave enough to spill out the truth. People are generally reluctant of letting their whatever instincts take over, and if it still happens, afterwards they cowardly do their best to conceal it. They never speak their mind. I for one… was never brave enough". His expression had become sad and his head bowed. The confession was disarming and it rendered him fragile and vulnerable.

Donny seized the opportunity of having his way while still having the upper hand in this. "And you think that I am brave enough?" he asked gently, putting his arms around him. One harder squeeze and…

"Are you?" Blau laid his head on Donny's shoulder.

"Oh yeah… I am brave enough to confess that from the first moment I saw you I was attracted to you in the most sinful of ways, and ravishing your restrained body was my utmost pleasure, and I kissed you because I wanted to know how you taste, and I did not kill you right away because I thought I'd save you for one more night, but then the others started asking questions and I had to get rid of you quickly… So this is how you escaped me the first time, but I wouldn't bet on it now!" he hissed. He moved his hands up, trying to reach the German's neck, but Blau was faster and he slipped from Donny's arms and before the giant could realize what was happening he was already on the other side of the bars.

"I hope you realize you shot yourself in the foot big time with that" the German said ironically. "That's too bad, I'll have to cook the mash potatoes myself, although I really wanted to avoid this," he added shaking his head. "Gott, I hope the bomb will go off this time…" he muttered to himself as he walked away.

* * *

The following night had been horrible. The dungeon had the thick darkness and the silence of a tomb. Donny could not get any sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, a thousand obsessive images of Blau obnoxiously flooded his mind. If only had he managed to crack his neck in that moment of firm resolution, everything would have been over. But the slippery son of a bitch was still alive, somewhere out there, planning to blow up his superiors and what not. A fairer and more delicate version of Hugo Stiglitz. Ah, _Herr_ Stiglitz was another story…. and another name on his black list. Several soundless days and nights passed while Donny swore that he would break every single bone in Blau's body, the very moment he would have him within his grasp, before sleep finally took him.

"Rise and shine, you big Basterd!"

Donny woke up with a start and jumped on his feet. The demon of his nightmares had returned. Blau spun a key in the lock with one hand, while the other held a Luger pointed at him. "Out! Now! _Schnell_!

The Bear Jew obeyed reluctantly, glaring at him. The lieutenant led him along some long dark corridors, until they reached a door and Blau pushed it open with his foot. The sunlight blinded Donny and he covered his eyes with his arm.

"Now beat it!" the German ordered, pointing to the nearby trees.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Donny whispered, stunned.

"Oh, I heard just about enough to know that you are a coward and a liar. But I am still noble and will let you walk away freely" came the reply accompanied by a wide and rather smug grin.

Donny shook his head. "Alright fine…" he sighed."The truth is I never thought of killing you. And even last time we met, I still wouldn't have… but I'll be damned if you hear any word of affection from me! And now they'll shoot you anyway for the filthy little traitor you are!"

"Aha… so you do care about me," Franz chuckled. "See you in hell then, you big ugly bastard!"

"U-huh… love you too, bitch" Donny muttered as the Kraut slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Two of the Basterds pulled the fat man out of the car with difficulty, as he struggled wildly and cursed.

"Why, General von Meister, you didn't really think you'd escape us twice, now didcha?" Lt. Raine asked grinning from ear to ear. A load of swears, curses and threats in German came in reply.

"Donny, finish him off," Lt. Raine said casually, swinging his rifle joyously.

"With pleasure. General, with my compliments and Lt. Franz Blau's" Donny addressed him ironically.

The man's eyes grew wider, before the baseball bat put him out for good.

"Say Donny, who'd Lt. Franz Blau be now, eh?"

Donny slapped his hand over his mouth.

_**To be continued...**_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

The cinema went down in a huge explosion. Pieces of stone, glass, wood and what not flew in all directions, damaging the surrounding buildings. Their windows were shattered as well from the blow. The Bear Jew had managed to find shelter behind some columns, and there he remained for a while, panting heavily, with his back stuck on the cold stone, pulling around him the remains of his tuxedo. He had some burns and several cuts, but he would not think of them now. All his comrades were dead. He did not have time to pull Omar out with him, and, as a matter of fact, he still found it hard to believe he was alive himself. He knew Lt. Raine had been captured and refused to even think of what the Nazis were going to do to him.

* * *

A few days after the event that had put an unexpected end to the war, in the middle of celebrations, a tall, solid man, wrapped from head to toe in a dark cloth passed hurriedly on the streets of Paris, towards the outskirts. No one heeded him. He walked at a quick pace, with his head bowed, fighting his way through the joyful crowd that filled the streets. From time to time he would raise his head and cast glances around.

The Bear Jew did not stop to catch his breath until he was basically out of Paris. The celebrations did not convince him, the rumors were vague and he was unsure of the overall state of things. He knew the Fuhrer and those close to him were all dead, but had no assurance that the Nazi 'case' was yet closed. He had resolved to hide at least until some Allied troops would enter the City and he'd decided for the nearby village of Nancy, where most of the houses had been abandoned. There was little chance anyone would find him in there.

* * *

The Bear Jew had walked until nightfall before he considered he was far enough. He decided to check the nearest house for some potential supplies. Approaching, he examined the place from a distance at first. No light inside, a broken window hung open, swung back and forth in the harsh October wind.

As Donny stepped in the dark courtyard, he tripped over something, lost his balance and nearly fell. He turned and stooped, only to discover he'd almost stepped over a body. He grinned. Even if most of the German soldiers in France had already fled or surrendered, he'd heard rumors that some of them had been captured by the locals and beaten to death. This seemed to be one. Not paying him further attention, he proceeded to the house. The search did not take long - the place was empty, nothing of value, no food, no drink. He cursed and slammed the wooden door after him. On his way out of the courtyard, he pushed the Kraut's body with his foot just to be sure and he saw the man slowly moving his fingers. Too bad the baseball bat was gone. Anyway, he had no time for fun, he'd search him and then get moving.

"Get your filthy hands off me, you filthy Frenchman!" muttered a familiar voice and Donny flinched involuntarily. He grabbed the man's chin and held his face in the light.

"I'll be damned!" he exclaimed. "If it isn't the one and only Franz Blau!"

The German let out a groan and covered his eyes with a bloodied hand.

"Oh my, you don't look too good… But I thought they shot you by now, so you are a lucky son of a bitch. And you know what, so am I"

Suddenly, Donny felt relieved. More than anything, he had hated being alone. He had surely not expected to be so pleased to see a familiar face. Without hesitation, he picked the young man up.

* * *

The water mill was the perfect hideout. It was the tallest building around, nearly surrounded by the pond and had a top floor, which made it a great observation point too. Donny pushed the door open with his foot as he carried Blau inside. The top floor was perfect, it even had an improvised bed. He dropped the German on it, then threw off the dark cloth that covered him and proceeded to examine the place. There wasn't much of it, after all it was a mill, not a house, but the windows offered an excellent view of the road.

Blau sat at the end of the bed, propped to the wall and watched him moving around in silence, blinking from time to time. Only his breath was interrupted by refrained gasps of pain.

"Come on, say something," Donny said at last.

"What the hell are you wearing?" the German whispered.

Donny looked down and was suddenly aware that he still wore what had once been an elegant tuxedo."A tuxedo, can't you see?" He spun around and made some gracious moves. "Do you like it?"

"You look like a waiter from hell" Blau replied and dropped on one side, grimacing.

Donny grinned. "You have no idea…" he replied drawing closer to the bed. "Are you hurt badly?"

"I've seen better days…."

"Why do you whisper?"

"What the hell do you want from me?"

Donny was not sure. He hated to admit that he just didn't want to be alone for the time being. "Oh, you know how much I enjoy your company…" he said a bit ironically. He pulled an old blanket from one corner and shook off the dust.

"Move aside," he said as he pushed Blau to the wall and settled himself in bed next to him, after casting away the now ridiculous coat.

* * *

The next morning, Donny woke up almost frozen. It turned out that Blau had pulled the whole blanket, and now he slept all wrapped up in it, like a swaddled baby. Donny's first impulse was to slam an elbow into his ribs, but he refrained and settled for a load of swears. He dragged himself out of bed and descended to the ground floor, where he'd spotted a small stove. Eager to warm up, he stuffed some wood inside and threw in a lit match. Only then he spotted the hidden hand grenade. Terrified, he rushed out the door, and had just the time to throw himself on the ground. The wooden walls were almost entirely blown away, as well as the mill's lower pallets. Blau was propelled, together with the outer wooden panel from the top floor, straight into the pond. Donny lifted his head just in time to see him take the plunge, still wrapped in the blanket. It took a while before he surfaced and stared around in complete confusion. The water was not very deep and, after some struggle, the young man managed to drag himself to the shore and collapsed on the grass, breathing hard.

"Are you ok?" Donny asked, kneeling next to him.

"If you want to kill me, I'm sure there are simpler, less spectacular ways to do it! This was completely unnecessary!"

"I wasn't trying to kill you!"

"Then what the fuck are you doing?" Blau shouted pointing at the burning remainders of the building.

"I was cold, ok? I was trying to make a fire!"

"Well you made it!"Blau sat up and rubbed his forehead, then began to laugh hysterically. Eventually, he choked and started to cough.

"Dammit! Now we gotta find another place to stay. I don't like these shitty cottages, can't see shit outta them. They're not safe!" Donny grumbled. "What the fuck should we do now?"

The German didn't answer. He sat crouched on the grass, shaking and hugging his knees as water dripped from his hair.

"Oh fuck!" Donny cursed again before he headed to one of the houses. He slammed the door open as he practically stormed inside. He returned after half an hour, wearing a different set of clothes, a bit small for him, stating that the place was acceptable. He carried Blau inside and into the bedroom, where he removed his soaked uniform and examined him. The young man's left side was entirely bruised and other bruises were scattered all over his body, together with other scratches he'd got from the explosion. There was an ugly cut on the back of his right hand and three fingers were broken. On top of it, he had fever and was coughing pretty badly. All Donny could do for him was to clean his wound, change him into some fresh clothes he'd found and wrap him in two blankets to keep him warm.

* * *

The people that were at the small market of Bateaux in that sunny October morning stared suspiciously at the massive stranger with American accent who traded a part of his collection of German medals on a dozen cans of beef. However, nobody dared to ask questions, much to the Bear Jew's relief. Once he got the supplies, he hurried back to the hideout, making sure he wasn't followed.

He laid the cans on the kitchen table and contemplated them greedily. God, he was hungry! He remembered Blau and went to check on him - he'd been feeling worse and worse during the night. Now he was fast asleep, and his face was pale. Donny could not tell for sure if he was breathing or not. He touched his forehead and noticed that the fever was gone. He seemed rather cold.

"Franz! FRANZ!" Donny grabbed his shoulders and shook him vigorously.

"W-what? What? Owww… stop, my head hurts…" his companion whined.

"I thought you were gone!"

"Oh yeah, with the energy I have, I could've reached Berlin by now…" the German muttered. Donny rolled his eyes.

"I mean gone like…. dead. Anyway, seems you're much better now, since you're being a sarcastic bastard again. Get your ass out of bed, I brought some food."

Donny split the meat from one of the cans in equal shares on two plates and carried them to the table. He thought they smelled delicious, but Franz grimaced. They ate in silence for a while, Donny with great appetite, Blau tasting indifferently.

"Say Franz, does it bother you to sit at the table with a Jew?" the sergeant asked suddenly.

Blau seemed lost in thought. "No… actually I was in love with a girl that was said to be half Jewish, a while ago… but she was shot by the very man your friends have now helped get free of all charges. More than that, he is regarded as a hero. That kind of strikes me odd, you know?"

Donny stopped chewing and put his fork down. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Colonel Hans Landa, the "Jew Hunter", was escorted by two of your friends, Lt. Raine and another one to the Allies headquarters, and from there he will go to his new home, somewhere in the States"

"What? Aldo would never do that!" Donny shouted and slammed his fist into the table.

"He had no choice. Landa cut himself a deal with one of the big bosses, claiming to be himself the head of the operation _Kino,_" Franz spoke calmly.

"And they bought it?"

"He could have stopped it. But he didn't"

"Why not?"

"Well, after the recent events on the Eastern front, one didn't have to be a genius to realize the Great Reich was going down the drain. Landa decided to reorient. And now he is officially the man who ended the war. The hero of the day…"

Donny scrubbed a hand over his face."This shit is incredible! I can't fucking believe it!"

"You clearly did not read the newspapers lately"

"No no no no! Look at me, Franz, he's not getting out of France alive!"

"The war is over, Sgt. Donowitz. While there was still a war going on, you could take as many scalps as you wanted, but it's over now. And Landa is under Allies' protection. If you kill him, you'll hang"

"And what, you expect me to sit on my ass while he gets away with all his murders?"

"I know this is beyond absurd, but for the large public he is the great hero who ended the war, even if you and I know otherwise, and if you kill him, you'll make a martyr out of him, which is the last thing you want, and a monster out of you. You will not be Sgt. Donny "The Bear Jew" Donowitz, hero of war, but Sgt. Donny Donowitz, the psychopath from Boston, a man so addicted to killing and so blood thirsty that he could not accept that the war was over," Franz said stabbing the meat with his fork randomly.

Donny stood up and stepped outside - he needed some fresh air to think. When he returned, he'd made up his mind.

"Ok, here's the deal, Franz - I can either hand you over to our boys and you'll probably rot in a P.O.W camp for a long time, or you can help me get Landa and then I'll put in a good word for you and you'll be free to get home or wherever you want. So are you in or not?"

"If I'm in this I'll hang," Blau said as-a-matter-of-fact.

"Gee, I thought you loved that girl…" Donny puffed.

"I wouldn't care for death if this would do her any good!" Franz shouted standing. "But I can kill him a million times and it would still not bring her back! Nor her baby, nor her husband, nor any of the people he's killed!"

Donny sat down, a sudden feeling of defeat upon him. He sighed.

"If you put it this way, no revenge ever makes any sense… But I'd still appreciate if you were with me in this…" He looked up at Blau smiling sadly and the young man nodded.

_**To be continued**_


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Donny parked the light truck outside the house and walked in, going to unlock the closet where he'd locked Blau up 'just in case'. The young man blinked and grumbled something in German which sounded like a swear.

"Hop in," the Bear Jew invited then, motioning to the truck's cabin.

"Where did you get the vehicle?" Franz wanted to know.

"The Allies are finally in town," Donny said smiling widely as he started the engine. "I found my two remaining comrades at the new headquarters. I told them I'd bring you and Aldo got this for me"

"That's great…. So I guess I'm out of your plan now" Blau said somehow relieved.

"Not exactly…" Donny muttered and Franz looked at him quizzically.

"I talked to them about Landa and they confirmed your story, but I didn't tell Aldo about the plan," the sergeant explained, driving with one hand, while with the other he lit up a cigarette.

"Why not?"

"Because he's gonna say the same thing you said - that I'm gonna hang" Donny grumbled.

"What about the other guy?"

"Utivich is a kid, and he looks into Aldo's mouth all the time…"

"Which is recommendable, I suppose," Blau said with a light smile.

* * *

They were silent for a while, until they entered Paris. After the celebration, the streets seemed rather empty. Things had more or less gone back to normal.

"So, what have you been doing in my absence?" Donny asked casually.

"You can imagine I had a lot of activities stuffed in that narrow closet," the German retorted. "I've been cooking up a plan. But you probably won't like it, since it's nothing… gore"

"Ohhh…. Damn it, Franz, you have no imagination. Now amaze me with your idea"

"Well, people like heroes. They like to see them rise. But more than that, they enjoy watching them go down" Blau explained.

Donny rubbed his chin, thoughtful."I guess…"

"So you're right, we shouldn't sit on our ass while Landa gets away with it. But more than that, we shouldn't sit on our ass while the world praises him like a hero, while his family enjoys countless privileges, and while they raise him statues across Europe"

"Do you really think the shit's gonna get that big?"

"Well, if it's not, his death will make it"

"I'm dying to hear the alternative," Donny said ironically.

"The alternative is to unmask him. There are rumors of course about him and his 'nickname', but people tend to forget very fast, and to put things behind very soon. But if we can prove not only that the stories are true, but also that he's not gonna change his ways anytime soon, the scandal it would create if it reached the newspapers would make even the Allies reconsider the deal"

"Um…. It sounds good but rather vague. How are we going to prove anything?"

"Well, I'm thinking we can … frame him. Imagine some biiiiiiiiig headlines…."

Donny listened thoughtfully the rest of the plan. It was pretty dangerous to begin with, but death seemed to be waiting at the end of whatever road they chose to take.

Lt. Raine took a sip from his beer and wiped his moustache with the back of his hand while Donny introduced Blau to him. "He be the one who saved your ass from that Kraut prison in Neully?" he asked with a smirk.

The Bear Jew bit his lip. He'd told Aldo that he'd escaped on his own. He also remembered that the name had slipped from his mouth and the Apache's fine ear had caught it.

"But sir, Donny said-"Utivich intervened only to be silenced by a punch in the ribs.

"Yeah, that'd be him," Donny confirmed, avoiding Aldo's gaze.

"I knew there'd be more than one Hugo Stiglitz out there but you wouldn't wanna buy it," Aldo said smiling and shrugging his shoulders. Donny said nothing in reply.

"Now back to Landa. What'd you wanna tell me 'bout 'im?"

"Well I think it ain't right that he'll walk away with all that… And now I hear he's thought of as the great hero who saved so many innocent lives. Makes me sick to my stomach, and my stomach's pretty damn resistant…"

"Well that's exact damn thing I've been tryin' to prevent when I worked my trademark on his damn forehead" Aldo said, his index finger drawing a swastika on the table. "But the shit backfired big time, 'cause now he's like… how'd they put it? The hero from the shadows who bore willingly the shameful mark to aid the Allied cause. Now ain't that the biggest shit you've ever heard in all your damn lives?"

"Sure is. At first I said, fuck it, I'm just gonna find a way to make sure he ain't leaving France alive, but then Franz here said that the hero thing won't die with him"

"The kid's right and you'd hang, that's what," Aldo said.

"Yeah, that's why Franz gave me another idea"

"Which is?"

Donny explained.

"The shit sounds risky. Might get you both killed. That if Landa buys it, if not Mr. Blau will share the fate of Fraulein von Hammersmark, her being presently dead. And how do we know we can trust the woman?"

"Listen Aldo, it's one way or the other! I'll be damned if he's getting away in one piece!" Donny almost shouted. His black eyes were sparking with anger.

The Apache scratched his head, sighing. He knew that once his sergeant got something in that thick head of his, it wouldn't come out so easy. "Ok, here's the deal - Landa's got an apartment in this hotel, now what's it called…. La Roux.. something. They said he'd be safe there until they make all the arrangements for his trip. Now I don't care how you two get in there, or how you drive him out and bring him to the place. If you do, me and Utivich will have your back, and the lady's, but until then the shit's on you. Got it?"

* * *

First thing the next morning, Blau and the Bear Jew, still dressed in their stolen French farmer garments, made their way inside a tall brick building.

"How do you know she's gonna help us?" Donny asked. "I mean you said she is French. Why the hell would she help you?"

"I don't think she hates me that much" Blau stated, quite confident that his plan would work out, which brought about the sargeant's next question. "Were you… with her?" Donny wanted to know.

"No. I mean I wanted to at some point, but she said no and I didn't push it"

"Damn! I thought you were irresistible" the Bear Jew laughed.

"Exactly, _you_ thought that," Franz retorted, opening the door to a small office. A petite young woman glanced at them, a rifle ready in her hands. Donny quickly took cover behind the door frame, gun in hand.

"I though you said she could be trusted!" he whispered angrily.

"Oh, Franz, what a surprise!" she exclaimed. "I thought you've gone to hell by now," she added ironically, lowering the rifle a little.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, but not yet. Um, this is Sgt. Donowitz, maybe you've heard of him..." Donny took the lady's hand in his and brought it to his lips gallantly.

"Enchante" she replied. "Christine Rocher. So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?" she asked turning to Blau.

"I've come to ask you something"

"Hmm… have you come to ask me to marry you?" she laughed.

"Will you shoot me if I say no?" Blau replied putting on his most charming smile.

"No, don't worry"

"Well too bad for you, I could have panicked and said yes," he said playfully. "In fact it's something much more exciting. We want to offer you a hot subject"

Christine threw back her long black hair and lit up a cigarette. "Well?" Her grin grew wider and wider as Blau offered a detailed description of the plan.

_**To be continued**_


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

"But you're risking a lot, Franz!" Christine cried. "That bastard Landa interrogated me once. He's just… the ultimate mind fucker"

"I know exactly what he is like, trust me." Franz reassured her. "So, you will take the pictures?"

"Of course I wouldn't miss that! But I like exclusivity," she said pouting "And you want me to spread them all over town to all the newspapers"

Blau rolled his eyes."For a certain fee…"

"That's not the point! For a journalist-"

"_Mein Schatz_, could you please be practical, just for once in your life?"

"Oh excuse me if I don't have an eye for business opportunities as you do!"

"Shhh.. do it for me, ok?"

"Eh… ok" she finally agreed. Blau placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

* * *

"Listen, you'd better keep an eye on her, just in case," Franz told Donny once they were out in the street. "Now I'm going to go pay Landa a little visit…"

The Bear Jew tsked, nervous. "How do you suppose you'll get in there? If there are soldiers guarding him and they realize you're German, they'll grab you. If you say you're French, Landa won't wanna see you"

"The soldiers or whoever's guarding him are my last concern" Blau said and sighed.

Donny chewed his lip. He looked at Franz, mesmerized by the sunrays playing in his blonde, slightly curled hair. It could have been the last time he saw him alive.

"Are you sure… you want to do this?" he whispered.

"No, I'm sure I DON'T want to! But fuck my luck…" Franz said and turned his back on him, walking away.

* * *

Blau sent a piece of paper with his name up to the colonel's apartment and waited patiently to be invited in. He realized his knees were a bit shaky as he walked towards Landa's door.

"Ah, Franz, my dear boy, I did not expect you! Not at all, not at all, but I'm glad nevertheless," Hans Landa greeted him, patting his shoulder and cupping his face with a cold hand. "Now, do you mind revealing me the reason of this visit?"

"I'd like to ask you a favor, Sir"

"Ah, of course you would, I have no doubt. But please, come, have a seat"

The Colonel seated himself in a comfortable armchair in front of Blau. "Well?" he said picking up his tea cup and taking a sip out of it. "Will you tell me or do I have to guess?"

"Do you really know everything, sir?"

"Do you think there's something I don't know, or that might surprise me?" Landa said playfully.

"Yes… " Blau replied in a neutral tone, and Landa raised an eyebrow.

"The man known as the Bear Jew survived the theater massacre"

The colonel placed the cup back on the plate slowly, seeming to ponder over that particular statement. "And where is he then?"

"I've got him"

"You've got him?" Landa burst into laughter. He laughed for a while before he wiped his tears and glanced deep into Blau's eyes. "Franz, my dear, I think you are very confused, and I'll tell you why - first, because the Bear Jew is just as dead as our beloved Fuhrer, and second because if he were alive, you'd be the last person who'd be able to _get _him," he said, still amused.

Blau did not reply, instead he searched in his pocket and he held up Donny's dog tags, hanging between his slender fingers.

Landa's smile disappeared. He reached out to grab them, but the young man pulled his hand back.

"So how did you get him?" The colonel leaned back in his armchair and resumed his playful mood.

"He was alone, hiding in an abandoned house, right outside Paris. I followed him and waited for the nightfall. I knew he was unarmed but just in case I sneaked up on him when he fell asleep. I hit him in the head, knocked him unconscious, tied him up and dragged him into the basement"

"How interesting… and where is he now?"

"Still there, tied up"

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why didn't you kill him? What are you waiting for, if I may ask?"

"For you, sir"

Landa crossed his arms, and his smile faded. "What kind of game are you playing, Franz?"

Blau stood up, angry. "I don't know what kind of game are _you_ playing, Colonel, but it's clear you won't help me have my revenge. I see… you have new friends now. Next thing you're going to do is militate for the Jews' rights!" he shouted.

Landa stood up and pressed a finger on Blau's lips. "Shhh… easy with the Nazi speeches now, Franz. Take it easy," he said gently. "Why don't you tell me what really happened?"

"You don't know what he did to me…"

"No… and I don't see any marks either…" the colonel whispered, caressing his forehead.

"He said my face was too pretty to scar! Do you get it now?" Blau hissed.

Landa sat down on the couch next to him and his hand moved to touch the young man's lower back. Franz jumped and pushed his hand away.

"What are you doing?" His lips trembled and he was on the verge of tears.

The 'Jew Hunter' turned pale. "So it's true…. Tell me… tell me what I can do for you"

"He came here to avenge his old aunt and his two cousins. Now, I suppose they found their end at your hands…"

"An old woman and two girls? Hmm… I don't remember… But of course, I don't remember them all"

"Before I kill him, I want you to look him in the eye and tell him, in great detail, how they died"

* * *

All three Basterds looked up as Franz entered the bistro they'd chosen as a meeting place. He sat next to Donny, who gave him a concerned look.

"How did it go?" Aldo asked.

"Well, at first he laughed in my nose…."

"Now what'd I tell ya"

"But eventually he said he'd come"

"How so? What'd you tell him? I guess he must have wondered how come you're not scarred"

"I told him… that the Bear Jew thought my face was too pretty to scar," Blau said reluctantly.

"I don't get it…" Utivich cut in.

"I'll be damned! Is that what you said to him?" Aldo laughed, slamming his palm onto the table.

"Gee, I hope that ain't true…" he joked, not noticing that Donny had turned pale.

"He bought it. He was full of compassion. Let's just hope it lasts him till tomorrow," Franz said quickly.

* * *

"Are you ok? You had almost nothing for dinner," Donny asked as he settled himself in bed next to Franz.

"Yeah well, have you ever taken those pills for anemia? They look like chocolate, smell like chocolate, taste like chocolate, but after you swallow them you get so sick to the point you think you'll disembowel yourself throwing up. Landa is exactly like that"

"I'm sorry… can't say that I have. Been a healthy kid all my life," the Bear Jew chuckled.

"Then you missed the great pleasures of life," the German pointed bluntly, shifting between the covers.

Donny placed an arm around him from behind, holding him close. "There's something I gotta tell you," he began "But first I need to know if you hate me. For real now"

"No, we settled that score when I made you talk about the sick thing, remember?" Franz replied.

"Damn yes! It was like you'd put a mirror in front of me and forced me to stare in it. Tough shit. I just wanna say… then I was so angry that I said I'd break your neck, but not with you, with myself. Because I felt such things that I could not get, nor explain and that just don't feel right. I got scared. And by hell, I still am scared…."

Franz shifted and turned to him. "Once I fell with my bicycle and broke my arm. I told the doctor I'd broken my arm but I also had a pain in my chest. He said something like we experience all sorts of sensations, but it doesn't necessarily mean that something's wrong"

"Maybe…. Today I thought you weren't gonna come back. That he'd either kill you or you'd run away," Donny confessed.

"It did cross my mind to, when I was inches away from his door. But then I remembered … well… several things … and I got really pissed"

"I'd really wanna tell you now that everything's gonna be alright, but it might just happen that we both die tomorrow, or at least I will"

"Then I'm afraid he'll go down the classic way. I don't like violence and won't use it unless absolutely necessary, but in his case I shall regard it as a necessity if he makes me," Blau said seriously.

"I'm gonna miss you if anything should happen…" Donny whispered.

The blonde laughed. "No you won't, we're both going to hell"

"Then it's not that bad…" Donny concluded and pressed his lips on his.

* * *

"This is so exciting!" Christine Rocher whispered in Aldo's ear. From where they lay hidden in the bush, they had a clear view of the small pontoon on which Blau smoked impassibly, propped on a pillar. Soon, a vehicle parked nearby and Hans Landa descended, wrapped in a long black coat and donning his usual majestic posture.

"It's him! It's really him? How did you get him to come here?" Christine asked impatiently.

"Franz over there convinced him. Now shut it and take pictures all the way!" the Apache whispered angrily. "Now if the fucker's brought his own gun, Donny's gettin' it," he said to Utivich, who sat crouched nearby, gun at the ready. On the pontoon, the colonel said something to Blau, and the latter went a bit further down and dragged Donny from behind one of the pillars near the edge. The Bear Jew was on his knees, blindfolded and seemed to be bound tightly. He was struggling, but could not escape.

"Are we gonna drown him?"

Franz nodded.

"You naughty boy," Landa chuckled and he pulled down Donny's blindfold.

Christine and the two Basterds saw him shouting something into Donny's face, emphasizing his words with large gestures. The story telling took him a while, but just when Aldo was getting tired of the show, the Bear Jew spit Landa right between the eyes. Enraged, the Nazi turned around quickly and pulled the gun from Blau's belt. The young man tried to argue with him, but he pushed him away, distanced a few paces and fired. Donny's body fell in the water with a loud splash.

"Mon Dieu! He killed-" Christine tried to scream but Aldo's hand covered her mouth quickly.

"Now that's what I call shooting blanks," he laughed.

* * *

"Am I good or am I GOOD?" Donny exclaimed, slapping the pile of newspapers with the back of his big hand.

"You're the man, Donny!" Utivich agreed.

Aldo dug in the pile, puffing a cigar and randomly reading the various headlines, which all said pretty much the same thing: 'War Hero Proven War Criminal', 'The Man Who Ended The War Executes French Civilian in Broad Daylight" and others alike, on top of illustrating pictures.

"I bet I know someone who chocked with the coffee two days ago" Lt Raine stated. "Anyway, boys, the deal's officially off. Some investigations have been made and it seems he'll go on trial for war crimes. Mission accomplished"

"Yeah! We've pulled this one out too!" Donny said enthusiastically.

"Damn sure we did, also with the courtesy of our young friend, Mr. Franz Blau. By the way Donny, this is for you" he said and handed him a simple white envelope.

Donny took it and stared at it, his hands trembling slightly.

"Where… where is Franz?"

"General Arkmann decided to recruit him, based on his file from operation _Wolf's Lair_. He's on his way to his new unit now"

"W-what?... Operation what?"

"See boys, when G-ral Fromm and a couple others decided that Hitler had gone too far and there was no other way but to have him killed, they put up a conspiracy. Now, they needed someone whom they could trust and who could build a bomb for'em. Fromm recruited a young university graduate who'd been forcefully enlisted in a disciplinary battalion, brought him to Berlin, gave him a new identity and made him a lieutenant. And so, Lt. Franz Blau became his assistant. Now, when the bomb went off, the damned fucker wasn't there, but G-ral Fromm and the other generals were discovered and put against the wall. Consequently, all those in their service fell in disgrace and were sent to the front. But the personal files of all those involved in the operation were shipped off to England before the plot was discovered"

Donny only half listened. He tore open the envelope and held out the single piece of paper.

_"Dear friend _

_I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to say goodbye. Now we can really say that everything's over and it's gonna be alright. If you want to write back, Lt. Raine will give you the direction. Please don't tell mademoiselle Rocher where I am. In the evening after the set-up, Franz Blau signed her a check for 1,500 Marks for her services, which is of course worthless._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Tom Kleberg_

P.S. _We have all sorts of sensations. Sometimes the sensation is pain, but it doesn't mean that something is broken."_

**THE END.**


End file.
